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September 2012 –Partners Meeting Introduction

September 2012 –Partners Meeting Introduction. Managing workforce change: Strengthening public services social dialogue in an era of austerity . Actions (1/02/12 – 28/02/13). Meeting with EU representatives (Feb 2012) National stakeholder meetings (Summer 2012) - Country case studies

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September 2012 –Partners Meeting Introduction

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  1. September 2012 –Partners Meeting Introduction Managing workforce change: Strengthening public services social dialogue in an era of austerity

  2. Actions (1/02/12 – 28/02/13) • Meeting with EU representatives (Feb 2012) • National stakeholder meetings (Summer 2012)- Country case studies • National reports (September 2012) • Comparative Report (Draft: December 2012) • Conference: Friday 22nd Feb 2013 (Friday 1st Feb 2013) • Final Reporting: February 2013

  3. Objectives of the Day • Present/discuss draft national reports: - revising national reports - engagement with questions/model • Comparative national report • Conference – timing/approach/attendance • Longer term issues: - publications - conference participation- future research plans

  4. Research Questions • Examine changes in employment, terms and conditions, patterns of work organisation since 2008/9 • How have austerity measures been designed and implemented? • How have different national/sectoral institutions of involvement influenced the process and outcomes of austerity? • Initial Propositions: A) stronger institutions = more acceptable IR change B) austerity overwhelms scope for consensual change

  5. Framework to analyse austerity measures and the role of social dialogue Social Dialogue Legal rules & bargaining structures Budgets Politics Technology Pay freeze/job loss/service redesign Drivers of Austerity Austerity Measures outcomes Economic Social Political Voice Political and economic characteristics size/scope of public services Source: adapted from Dornelas et al 2011

  6. Initial Findings Austerity • The crisis ‘austerity’ as a driver of change? - in some cases, but strong caveats ... timelags- reinforcement of previous reforms • Variation between countries:- severity of deficit/debt- political ideology- legacy of earlier reforms – appetite/need for reform • Other drivers: - demography - technology?

  7. Measures • Wage freezes: - freeze of pay scales • Wage cuts: - targeted at higher earners (not CZ)- pension reforms • Employment reductions:- via non-replacement ratios – attrition (FR/IT)- redundancies/severance (UK) • Work organisation:- temporary employment

  8. Social Dialogue National Level • Little input from employers/unions in formulation - legitimacy: direct public appeals/fiscal rules • Hollowing out of national industrial relations?- legislative/budgetary instruments dominate - wage freezes/cuts severely limit ‘bargaining’- shift towards single-employer level • Sectoral level – generally similar trends?

  9. Social Dialogue Employer level LG • Central control exercised via financial envelopes • Scope for employer choice:- severity of cuts - role of differing institutional rules- union approach cooperative/confrontational- type of services provided • Employer policy:- performance management, outsourcing productivity deals

  10. Outcomes • Wage moderation and reductions • Employment reductions • Social dialogue is weak at national level - more of a role at LG level – ritual? • Mobilisation:- stronger in FR, UK (less dialogue)...limited results • unintended consequences – morale, staff shortages

  11. Conclusions 1 • Austerity: a factor of many • Social dialogue: a return to unilateralism? - LG Employer level – concession bargaining/imposition • Actors: - Unions – weakened & being delegitimised? - Employers - tougher stance

  12. Conclusions 2 • Variations between countries: - severity of pressure/cuts (FR/IT, NL); govt ideology (Fr/UK) - within local government as well as between countries • Quantitative: break with past – cuts • Qualitative: reforms more path dependent

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